Centrifugal spinning has become an important process for forming fibers, such as nanofibers and microfibers, as it allows the formation of fibers from either a molten polymer composition or from an aqueous spinning solution. Such systems and methods are an improvement over, for example, electrospinning technology, in that the use of organic solvents is avoided with centrifugal spinning. However, fibrous sheets or webs formed via centrifugal spinning technology often exhibit defects as the fibrous sheets or webs are formed on a collecting surface of a centrifugal spinning unit or as the sheets or webs are removed from the centrifugal spinning unit onto a roll via a winder. As such, a need exits for a system and method of forming fibrous sheets or webs via centrifugal spinning that minimizes the amount of defects in the fibrous sheets or webs.